Philippines seizes Vietnamese boat near Malampaya

Mon, Sep 1 02:26 PM

http://in.news.yahoo.com/137/20080901/362/twl-philippines-seizes-vietnamese-boat-n_1.html

MANILA (Reuters) - A Philippine navy gunboat fired at and seized a Vietnamese fishing boat after it was found poaching near Malampaya, the country's natural gas platform, the military said on Monday.

Rear Admiral Ferdinand Golez said a navy vessel on patrol near Malampaya fired warning shots at the Vietnamese registered fishing boat when it entered Philippine waters on Aug. 29.

"Our boys apprehended 13 crew of the Vietnamese vessel for illegally entering our territory and for engaging in illegal activities," Golez said in a statement.

About 100 dead sea turtles were found aboard the fishing boat as well as chemicals that could damage coral reefs and marine life, he added.

The Philippines has previously arrested a number of fishing vessels from Vietnam, China and Taiwan found in territorial waters near the Spratlys, a disputed territory in the South China Sea to the southwest of Malampaya.

All four states plus Brunei and Malaysia have conflicting claims on the Spratlys, believed to be sitting on huge deposits of oil and natural gas.

The navy regularly patrols the waters near Malampaya, the country's largest hydrocarbon discovery. It supplies natural gas to three large power plants on the main island of Luzon.